3Dconnexion's SpaceMouse Pro Review: Outstanding 3D Mouse

"Designed for use along with a standard
mouse, 3D mice accelerate performance as users no longer have to
position models step by step. Using the 3D mouse controller cap,
models can be simultaneously panned, zoomed and rotated while the
standard mouse is used for selection, creation and editing
tasks."
-3Dconnexion company history page

It's been exactly two decades since the first commercial 3D
mouse (the "spacemouse") was made available. During that
time, 3Dconnexion has been at the forefront in developing 3D mouse
technology. The company recently celebrated the sale of it's
"1 millionth 3D mouse," which they accomplished by making
sure that their 3D mouse hardware not only produced extremely
precise control, but also by "ensuring an intuitive and
natural connection to today's 3D applications and design
environments."

Currently compatible with over 100 software applications,
3Dconnexion's 3D mouse line-up consists of the basic
SpaceNavigator, the SpaceNavigator for Notebooks, the more advanced
SpaceMouse Pro and the top-of-the-line SpacePilot Pro. Each product
is designed for a specific kind of user and work environment.
3Dconnexion's well-designed website lays out exactly what each 3D
mouse does and how you can benefit by using them.

This review will focus on the SpaceMouse Pro which is the latest addition to
3Dconnexion's 3D mouse line-up. While not as advanced as the
top-of-the-line SpacePilot Pro, the SpaceMouse Pro borrows a lot of
functionality from it's big brother. And after working with this
excellent piece of hardware, it has more than enough features to
satisfy most 3D artists and designers. The SpaceMouse Pro,
introduced in November of 2011, is not only elegantly
designed hardware, but it's features are so well integrated and the
price is so good, that it hits the sweet spot for a professional 3D
mouse.

The SpaceMouse Pro isn't intended to be a replacement for your
mouse. It's primarily used in conjunction with your keyboard. Your
main mouse is on the right side and the 3D mouse is on the left
side of your keyboard (if you are right-handed). The distinctive
controller cap sits in the center of the SpaceMouse Pro and is the
tool that allows you to move 360 degrees within your scene.
3Dconnexion calls this their "6DoF" (six degrees of
freedom), named after the sensor in the device.

Standard keyboard modifiers Esc/Ctrl/Alt/Shift sit to the left
of the controller cap and 4 large, fully-programmable function keys
sit within easy reach above the cap. In addition, a cluster of
QuickView keys fit just to the right of the controller cap which
allow you to switch to 12 different views of your 3D scene. The
SpaceMouse Pro is designed to help speed up your 3D work-flow, and
this is exactly what it does.

I really like how easy and relaxing it is to use the SpacePilot
Pro. It's obvious a lot of thought went into device design and
placement. The device is just small enough to fit onto your work
desk, but also large enough to allow full use of your left hand
without any awkwardness. The soft coated hand rest is quite
comfortable and just the right size for my left hand.

The Virtual NumPad, which allows you to input numbers in your 3D
program, and the on-screen display that reminds you how your
function keys are programmed, are sweet additions to the SpaceMouse
Pro and shows that 3Dconnexion pays attention to detail in a 3D
artist's work-flow. It's a shame that these features are
"windows-only," though.

Conclusion

I'm very impressed with 3Dconnexion and the SpaceMouse Pro 3D
mouse. Although there is a bit of a learning curve if you've never
used a 3D mouse before. But, once you get up to speed, you have to
wonder how you ever worked in a 3D program without it. And at $299,
this advanced 3D mouse is a bargain.

SpaceMouse Pro worked perfectly in Cinema 4D R14, Maya 2013 and
Modo 601 (my current 3D program base) and even allowed me to do
some pretty neat camera moves in the virtual world of Second Life.
I think one of the keys to 3Dconnexion's 3D mouse products is that
they make a concerted effort to integrate with as many programs as
possible. Mechanical engineering, media and entertainment,
architecture and construction, gaming and even support for
geographic information systems like Google Earth, all of these
areas of 3D graphics are well integrated with 3Dconnexion's 3D
mouse products, including the SpaceMouse Pro.

The SpaceMouse Pro is an excellent addition to any 3D artist or
designer's toolkit. This review has only touched the surface of
what this beautifully designed hardware can do. It's not only
effective in speeding up your 3D work-flow, but the SpaceMouse Pro
is fun to use!

3Dconnexion's SpaceMouse Pro is highly recommended.

Notes

Full tech specs for the SpaceMouse Pro are available here. Pricing for all 3Dconnexion products are
here. The 3Dconnexion website is a
great place to learn more about their entire line-up of products
and to see what 3D software is supported.

My thanks to 3Dconnexion and John Moseley in particular.
3Dconnexion is a great company and I'm very proud to be able to
review their products.

Ricky
Grove [gToon], Staff Columnist with the Renderosity Front
Page News. Ricky Grove is a bookstore clerk at the best bookstore
in Los Angeles, the Iliad Bookshop. He's also an actor and
machinima filmmaker. He lives with author, Lisa Morton, and three
very individual cats. Ricky is into Hong Kong films, FPS shooters,
experimental anything and reading, reading, reading. You can catch
his blog here.

April 8, 2013

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Article Comments

Hello. Did anybody try both 3DConnexion (spacemouse pro) products and 3DController products (3D Mouse Spacecontrol)? Which one is better?

SviatA ()
posted at 7:55AM Fri, 18 September 2015

The Space Pilot is not super advanced in comparison with the SpaceMouse Pro. Surely, there is a screen and twice more buttons. But these features do not give you anything special. The Space Mouse is enough.
Also, I have a feeling that 3DConnexion want us to buy the CAD mouse too:-) As you have mentioned in the article, the SpaceMouse/Pilot is designed for the left hand, and we should use the "normal" mouse in the right hand. In this case, I think a designer may purchase the SpaceNavigator for the left hand, since the SpaceMouse is pretty expensive (looked on Newegg, Amazon, and Hardware.nl).
Anyway, the device is extremely convenient, although we have to get used to it.